English for Academic Purposes provides a comprehensive overview of the field of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) for teachers. It not only looks at study skills, but also at other central concerns of EAP, such as needs analysis, syllabus and course design, methodology and materials, learning styles, tests and exams, and academic style and genre analysis. In addition to general EAP, the author also considers subject-specific language and the production of teaching materials. Throughout, the author adopts a user-friendly approach in which theoretical considerations are balanced with practical experience. Issues are discussed and illustrated, but readers are also encouraged to form their own opinions by means of stimulating introspect and discuss sections at the end of each chapter.

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a multicenter randomized controlled trial designed to test whether diet and exercise or medication can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in persons with impaired glucose tolerance, who are at increased risk of the disease. This paper describes DPP recruitment methods, strategies, performance, and costs. The DPP developed an organizational structure for comprehensive management and continuous monitoring of recruitment efforts. The DPP utilized a variety of recruitment strategies, alone or in combination, and a stepped informed consent procedure leading to randomization. Studywide and clinic-specific recruitment data were monitored, analyzed, and used to modify recruitment approaches. DPP recruitment was completed slightly ahead of schedule, meeting goals for the proportion of women enrolled and nearly meeting goals for the proportion of racial/ethnic minorities. Clinics varied widely in the recruitment strategies they used, and these strategies also varied by participant age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Staff time devoted to recruitment averaged 86.8 hours per week per clinic, with the majority of effort by staff specifically assigned to recruitment. The number of staff hours required to recruit a participant varied by recruitment strategy. Recruitment cost (excluding staff cost) was about 1075 US dollars per randomized participant. The DPP experience offers lessons for those planning similar efforts: (1) a method for ongoing assessment and revision of recruitment strategies is valuable; (2) a range of recruitment strategies may be useful; (3) the most effective methods for recruiting potential subjects may vary according to the gender, age, and race/ethnicity of those individuals; (4) recruitment strategies vary in the amount of staff time required to randomize a participant; and (5) a stepped screening may make it easier to identify and recruit volunteers who understand the requirements of the study.

Background To assess whether urban schoolchildren with aggressive behavior are more likely than peers to have symptoms suggestive of sleep-disordered breathing. Method Cross-sectional survey of sleep and behavior in schoolchildren. Validated screening assessments for conduct problems (Connor's Rating Scale), bullying behavior, and sleep-disordered breathing (Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire) were completed by parents. Teachers completed Connor's Teacher Rating Scale. Results Among 341 subjects (51% female), 110 (32%) were rated by a parent or teacher as having a conduct problem (T-score ≥65) and 78 (23%) had symptoms suggestive of sleep-disordered breathing. Children with conduct problems, bullying, or discipline referrals, in comparison to non-aggressive peers, more often had symptoms suggestive of sleep-disordered breathing (each p<.05). Children with vs. without conduct problems were more likely to snore habitually (p<.5). However, a sleepiness subscale alone, and not a snoring subscale, predicted conduct problems after accounting for age, gender, a measure of socioeconomic status, and stimulant use. Conclusions Urban schoolchildren with aggressive behaviors may have symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing with disproportionate frequency. Sleepiness may impair emotional regulation necessary to control aggression.

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